The Vast and Brutal Sea Guest Post by Zoraida Cordova

The Author’s Dream Cast for THE VICIOUS DEEP TRILOGY

First off, when I started writing the series, I didn’t have actors in mind. Naturally, I do like to fantasize with casting, because what else would I do with my free time except Tumbl!? If you have a different opinion (I have been known to be out of my mind), let us know in the comments!

Tristan Hart - Zac Efron

He’s too old to play him by now, but I think he’d be perfect for Tristan. He’s a mix of boyish and cocky. http://www.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/201339/rs_634x1024-130409123404-634.2efron.ls.4913.jpg

Layla Santos - Jessica Szhor

Layla is half Ecuadorian and Half Greek. This is what she looks like in m head.

https://31.media.tumblr.com/c4831847872e850244a5fcf9e0f2ec7e/tumblr_n715gzTlOi1tcpc1eo1_500.jpg

Brendan - Champion of the Northern Seas and Tristan’s cousin is beautiful, playful, and totally Sam Caflin.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/f7fa041d3f2f05497abb39ee9b8f98d1/tumblr_n23cwisZdu1rnpqlvo1_500.jpg

Kurt - Maxi Iglesias

Kurt plays an important part in Tristan’s journey (no spoilers!) This guy works pretty darn well.

https://40.media.tumblr.com/87f43aa98341ba9fb33a985a11ee32c6/tumblr_mzbsczPoOS1sp80yno2_500.jpg

Thalia - Vanessa Hudgens

In my head Thalia has a green tint to her skin and hair. That’s hard to find on Tumblr, apparently. So here is an actress that I think has a beautiful smile that is contagious.

http://www.flixya.com/files-photo/a/d/n/adnanawab-2142083.jpg

Bonus, she took a selfie with green hair.

http://img.buzznet.com/assets/imgx/2/1/5/9/1/8/6/1/orig-21591861.jpg

Kai -

Kai is blonde with a light blue/green coloring to her scales. This isn’t an actress, but when I saw this image it clicked!

https://40.media.tumblr.com/e7ccd00a06f45ad71fc39089952ec59f/tumblr_mwl9ts1uRt1rsjhqxo1_500.jpg

Arion - Idris Elba

Arion is named after one of my best friends growing up. He’s super tall and has a super deep voice that is equal parts dry and sarcastic. Arion (in the book) is dark skinned and has black and white scales.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/e570f02f0199ca65d7181e9abe20ad8d/tumblr_n6e4eee5YC1qj2x48o1_500.jpg

Dylan - Champion of the Western Seas is obviously Charlie Hunnan

Dylan is one of my favorite characters because he’s got such a strong family history, but at the end of the day, he’s just as lost and confused as the other champions.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m05zbn5b3T1qzhhg4o1_500.jpg

Princess Gwen - Ana de Armas

I admit it. Gwen is my favorite in book 3. She’s strong willed, but has a soft spot for her loved ones.

https://31.media.tumblr.com/eaa7e47a21b3d4d19248ed4d5457647a/tumblr_n5qozuBbEJ1rntnp5o1_500.jpg

Nieve - The Silver Mermaid. The Silver Witch. The Daughter of the Seas. Beautiful and deadly, I’ve decided not to cast her. Instead, here’s a throwback to the first cover comp.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzBNnbjJT3P5tHB5loCcWK62v_yzD1JIqwrxPYqoVIS-MI2HUe5RTEWdqnZfnMY3E5XVJSkvbLZKjJ2tmJjUqemwZ70oALXitwSvlBhzc16d1R_JkjaplzVzOg-S3UITn-Py0kLgr3D0j/s400/11255055.jpg

Disagree with my “casting”? Let us know! Who’s your Tristan Hart?

~Zoraida

 About the Author: Zoraida Córdova was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where she learned to speak English by watching Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker on repeat. Her favorite things are sparkly like merdudes, Christmas, and New York City at night.

Links:

Twitter * Author Facebook * Series Facebook * Website * Tumblr * Series Tumblr * YouTube * Goodreads

Buy links:

Indie Bound * B&N * Kobo * Books of Wonder

 Rafflecopter Contest code: Pre-order The Vast & Brutal Sea and win prizes! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: Character Interview with Jenna from Waterfell

1) Will you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Jenna Pearce. I’m seventeen. I grew up in San Diego and I’m a senior at Dover Prep. I’m captain of the Dover Field Hockey and Tennis Teams. I’m dating a boy called Sawyer. He’s captain of the Surf and Swim Teams. I like sports, reading non-fiction and listening to music. That’s me in a nutshell.

2) Tell us about your best friend, Nerissa. What exactly is an Aquarathi?

Nerissa is part of an alien underwater species known as the Aquarathi. They came here thousands of years ago when their own planet died, and they’ve been living in our oceans in secret ever since. They only ever take human form as part of a human acclimatization cycle when they have to learn about human culture. For the most part, they live in a place that’s largely inaccessible to us, in the deepest part of our ocean, which is why we don’t know they’re there. Not that we haven’t seen them throughout history at certain points. You know all those stories and myths about sea monsters and whole ships disappearing from the ocean? Yep, that’s the Aquarathi.

3) What was it like when Nerissa told you the truth about herself? Be honest.

I was more curious than anything. After I found her in such an advanced state of dehydration, my brain had already processed the fact that she wasn’t all girl, if you know what I mean. She didn’t look human. Ever seen a dried-up jellyfish? That’s what her whole body looked like … like withered gray putty. Her eyes were wild and psychedelic—that’s what convinced me. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t like WTF. Thank goodness I called Echlios and not 911, or we’d all be locked in a classified government bunker somewhere in New Mexico and not having this conversation.

Anyway, even though I was already expecting something out of the ordinary, I was still blown away when she told me what she was. I mean she’s a whole other species from another planet! I read enough to know that there’s other intelligent life out there in the universe besides us, but seeing it up close and personal was an entirely different experience. And then when she morphed into her true form right before my eyes, it was unbelievable … like something you’d see in a science fiction movie or dream up in your head. Sometimes, I still think it’s a dream.

4) As a friend, you’ve been there for Nerissa no matter what. Is that hard?

Well, that’s what friendship is, isn’t it? Being there for someone through thick and thin? I know who she is inside, and that’s all that matters. I know her. Just because she looks a little different on the outside doesn’t change the girl I’ve come to know and love. I mean, don’t get me wrong—it took a little time to get my mind around it, but at the end of the day, she’s still Nerissa. Some fancy fins and dragon eyes aren’t going to scare me away. [laughs] As far as her being a hard person to be friends with, we all have our flaws. I’m super competitive, sometimes too much so, and I’m an obsessive over-achiever. She accepts me for who I am, and vice versa.

You have to understand that Nerissa grew up as a princess in Waterfell, pampered and given everything she’s ever wanted, but she’s always had a chip on her shoulder that she’s never been good enough for her people. It puts her in a tough spot, so she comes across as she’s unaffected by it all or doesn’t care about anything but herself. Deep down, she does care. It’s all a huge front. On top of that, she can be pretty hardheaded and stubborn, which are good traits in a potential leader, not so much a teenage girl. People are going to think what they’re going to think. But at the end of the day, we’re all still works in progress.

5) If you could change one thing about Nerissa, what would it be and why?

Nerissa thinks her future is a prison, but the truth is, we all have to live up to some kind of expectation, whether that’s from our parents, teachers or ourselves. The only thing that matters is how we meet those expectations, and whether or not we choose to do so. We were all born to do something. Nerissa was born to be a queen, and she needs to come to terms with that. Regardless of what she chooses to do, her choices are going to have consequences. So I’d want her to take her future a little more seriously.

6) How do you feel about aliens living secretly in our oceans?

As long as they don’t affect our ecosystems to the point that other life is threatened, which hasn’t happened in the last millennia they’ve been here, then I have no problem with it. If they’re exposed, well that becomes an entirely different story. They’ll be hunted, dissected, studied, and our species could go into an all out war. Better for all of us that they stay secret and in hiding.

7) If you could be an Aquarathi, would you?

Who wouldn’t want to be an underwater dragon? At least for a day, anyway. I like having my two feet on the ground too much to be a sea creature forever. Nerissa once explained to me that their eye color is representative of the color of their fins, and their hair color is the hue of their scales. If I was Aquarathi, I’d have a deep red body with pale blue fins—it just sounds beautiful! And being able to breathe underwater and experience that the ocean from their point of view would be amazing.

8) What do you think defines a great friendship?

Truth, laughter, love, forgiveness, and pie.

9) What is the one thing that you think Nerissa must never forget?

Who she is and where she comes from.

10) Do you ever think you’ll get to visit Waterfell?

I hope so! One thing on Nerissa’s bucket list is a heist to borrow James Cameron’s submarine that he used to visit the Mariana Trench last year. That would be amazing—visiting Waterfell, I mean, not the theft of James Cameron’s property. And we would totally return it. 

The Mephisto Mark Blog Tour: Guest Post

Hi guys!! Today I am so happy to be part of The Mephisto Mark Blog Tour (by InkSlingerPR Blog Tours!!). Make sure to check out this series if you haven't!

Book Tour Schedule: http://www.inkslingerpr.com/2013/09/13/the-mephisto-m

Summary:

Orphaned at six and sent to live with abusive relatives in Bucharest, Mariah learned early in life to box up violent, agonizing memories and put them in permanent mental storage. Now almost nineteen, she has a paying job, a tiny apartment, and a plan to attend university. She loves her independence and is steadily overcoming her past, but when an enigmatic stranger walks into the pub where she works and the trajectory of her life changes yet again, she begins to wonder if she’ll run out of mental shelf space.

The only females unafraid of the Mephisto brothers are the extremely rare Anabo, born without Original Sin. Over one hundred years ago, Phoenix was first to find one, but he made a fatal mistake and she was murdered by his oldest brother and enemy, Eryx. Phoenix soldiered through the next century wrapped up in grief and guilt, his only outlet planning takedowns of those who pledged their souls to Eryx. When one of his brothers brings Mariah to Mephisto Mountain, he’s torn between his instinctive, powerful need to pursue her, and his certainty that he can never have her.

Drawn into the world of the Mephisto, Mariah sees the pain and misery Eryx unleashes on humanity, and the boxes in her mind begin to fly open, one by one. All that keeps her from slipping off the edge is her unlikely, sexually charged friendship with Phoenix. He’s incredibly screwed up; she’s completely broken. It would take a miracle for them to find happiness. Then Eryx brings the war for Hell to a whole new level, forcing Mariah and Phoenix to make a choice that will bind them together for all eternity, or rip them apart forever.

Goodreads

My Top 10 Favorite Books by Trinity Faegen

1. The Runaway Bunny – Makes me cry every time.

2. Jane Eyre – My first ‘adult’ book. After Jane, I never read another horse book.

3. Pride & Prejudice – Okay, so it’s cliché, but this is most excellent.

4. Slightly Dangerous – Mary Balogh. This is old school romance and I adore it. I reread at 

least once a year.

5. Lord of Scoundrels – The perfect romance novel. Ask anyone.

6. The Hunger Games – I couldn’t put it down. Reread it as soon as I’d finished, just to 

relive the awesome.

7. Dark Lover – Paranormal romance doesn’t get much better than this. It’s still my favorite 

of all the Ward BDB books.

8. David Copperfield – Every author should glom Dickens. He was a master at character 

building & descriptions. 

9. Master of the Game – I cut my teenage teeth on Sidney Sheldon. I haven’t read this in 

years and years and it still stands out as a favorite read.

10. Whatever I just read – I’m not particularly picky and tend to be enchanted with anything I 

read. I rarely find a book I don’t like, so generally speaking, my most favorite book is the 

one I just finished.

Trinity Faegen Bio:

Author of the RITA winning Pink Files series, Stephanie Feagan has had a love affair with romance novels since she was eleven and discovered there are kissing scenes in Victoria Holt books. She spent a lot of time in her closet with a flashlight, reading as fast as possible to get to the end, only to start a new book and begin the whole Leave-Me-Alone-I’m-Reading cycle all over again. She still stays up until the wee hours to finish books, now courtesy of a lighted e-reader which she believes is mankind’s greatest invention ever.

Stephanie also writes Young Adult and New Adult paranormal romance as Trinity Faegen. A practicing CPA who loves travel, books, new pencils, old keys, and smart guys, she lives in the oilfields of west Texas with her engineer husband and a mean cat. She’d love to hear from you. She answers to Stephanie, Trinity, Hey Lady, and Mom, and can be reached atStephanie@StephanieFeagan.com or Trinity@TrinityFaegen.com

She’s aware the similarity between her pseudonym, Faegen, and her real name, Feagan, confuses pretty much everyone, herself included. Since so many mispronounce Feagan as FEEgan instead of FAYgan, she thought she’d mix it up when she took a pseudonym and make it easier on people. Now people say FayEEgen, and spell it wrong. Next time she takes a pen name, she’s totally going with Smith or Jones.

Make sure to enter the rafflecopter giveaway below!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Links:

Blog: http://www.stephaniefeagan.com/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/stephaniefeagen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trinity-Faegen/108974155831943

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4430487.Trinity_Faegen?from_search=true

The Mephisto Mark Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18046744-the-mephisto-mark

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Trinity-Faegen/e/B004UTPCDW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1378945672&sr=8-1

Authors are Rockstars Blog Tour Stop: Guest Post and Giveaway

I am SO excited to be a member of the authors are rockstars tour hosted by Fiktshun and Two Chicks on Books!

For tons of readers out there, authors aren't just people who write stories, they are our heroes! They make places that we can only dream about come alive, and help grow our imaginations and help us dream big.

For my stop on this awesome tour, I am hosting Cayla Kluver, author of Legacy and Allegiance (and the upcoming Sacrifice!).

Here's a little bit about Cayla:

I was born in Wisconsin on October 2nd, 1992.  I have an older sister named Cara, a younger sister named Kendra, and a supremely spoiled cat named Nina.  Cara's an actress, Kendra's a freaky super-genius like Reid from Criminal Minds, and Nina is my muse.

Nina, my muse.

My parents are both lawyers but they're not what you'd imagine when you hear the word "lawyer".  My mom is wonderfully crazy, and for those of you who are familiar with the show Gilmore Girls, she's like Rory's mom Lorelei only way better.  She's my best friend and my best critic, always willing to hug me or give me a kick in the pants.  My dad sings and plays guitar.  I always assumed he was an average guitar player because he taught himself and I grew up watching him make it all look easy, then one day I realized most professional guitarists don't play as well as he does.  He's a finger-picking maniac.

Me, photo copyright Cara Kluver 2010

I've been writing forever.  According to my mother I dictated my first book to her when I was two, and it was about a bunny.  She tells everyone this, even though I don't remember it at all.  It's because of my mom that I'm published -- if you're confused about how many editions of Legacy are available, here's the explanation!

When I was fifteen, my mom started her own publishing company to put Legacy out, in the hopes of attracting a larger company.  We released it on April 15, 2008, in paperback with this cover:

My mom's plan worked -- in March of 2009 I was connected with the Amazon.com team launching AmazonEncore, the company's publishing arm.  On August 18, 2009, Legacy was released in hardcover by AE, with this artwork:

I had a great time with AmazonEncore and got to meet some amazing people, but ultimately we parted ways.  On June 28th, 2011, HarlequinTEEN released a newly edited paperback edition of Legacy:

Legacy's sequels, Allegiance and Sacrifice, will be coming out through HQTEEN respectively on February 28, 2012, and in November 2012.  Legacy has additionally been sold in sixteen foreign countries.

Courtesy of Cayla Kulver's blog

Now onto the awesome guest post by the lovely Ms. Kluver!

Top 10 Places Alera and Narian Would Spend a Romantic Vacation

Rohan, Middle Earth:  Home of the Horselords.  Since both Narian and Alera have a passion for horseback riding, this would be an exquisite vacation destination for the two of them.  Staying in the Hall of Meduseld with Theoden King would be comfortable and homey for Alera, since she is royalty and didn’t much care for cave-dwelling in the end of Allegiance.

Camelot. Again, Alera would be comfortable in a castle setting, and Narian could get advice from Merlin on being a magic-wielder.  And, as we all know, in Camelot, the rain may never fall ‘til after sundown; by eight the morning fog must disappear.  In short, there’s simply no

t a more congenial spot for happily-ever-aftering than here in Camelot.

El Dorado: the City of Gold. Besides being the ultimate sight-seeing destination, the weather in El Dorado is perfect for swimming and tanning.  The road to El Dorado is filled with unique and charismatic people, making the trail Alera and Narian would blaze to get there just as enjoyable as their stay in the city.

The Hundred-Acre Wood.  This destination is peaceful and beautiful, a gorgeous expanse of land home to heffalumps, woozles, and other wonderful things.  There are long, idyllic trails to walk, and plenty of honey to eat, not to mention the unbeatable companionship of the great philosopher Pooh Bear, who could teach Narian to always make today his favorite day.

Gallifrey:  Planet of the Time Lords.  A quick trip in the Tardis would transport Alera and Narian to a land of silver-leafed trees and a red-orange sky, something the like of which they have never seen before.  With Narian’s curiosity for travel and Alera’s appreciation for natural beauty, this would be an ideal getaway for Hytanica’s foremost couple.

Honah Lee.  A vacation by the sea would be a refreshing change for Alera and Narian, and again, there is much Narian could potentially learn about his own abilities from Puff the Magic Dragon.  Of course, this vacation would benefit Puff as much as it would the couple – he’s been lonely since Little Jackie Paper grew up and moved away.

Collinwood.  A decadent getaway, Collinwood is full of twists, turns, and dark shadows to keep Alera and Narian guessing.  The patriarch of the Collins clan, Barnabus, has what seems centuries worth of wisdom to impart, and the daylight hours in particular leave plenty of time for the happy couple to be alone.

Madagascar.  With beautiful weather and wildlife (both botanical and otherwise), Madagascar is where the party is at.  King Julian’s hospitality is unmatched, and he keeps the music blaring at all hours.  For anyone who likes to move it, move it, this is the place to be!

Oz.  Everyone wants to see the Emerald City, even if it’s only for one short day.  Home to the famous Lollipop Guild and one of the best walking tours in the world, there’s no shortage of things to do and see in the land of Oz.  Also a plus – Narian already has experience with evil witches, so the Wicked Witch of the West would have trouble catching our lovebirds off guard.

The Ponderosa.  Hoss and Joe and Adam know every rock and pine on their father’s sprawling ranch in Nevada.  Plenty of horseback riding and wild west adventures would keep Narian and Alera occupied, and the moonlight on Lake Tahoe is as romantic as it gets.  Narian would be fascinated by the advanced weaponry of the cowboys, and Alera would love those rollicking dance parties at the ranch house!

What an amazing guest post!! Thank you SO much for being on by blog Cayla..you truly are a rocks star :)

Harlequin Teen has graciously decided to host a giveaway of either Legacy or Allegiance (its your choice!!) and will ship to US/Canada!

To enter..fill out the form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Embrace Tour Guest Post by Jessica Shirvington!

Falling in Love at 17

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love … more complicated.

At 17, life is about new experiences. It is about self-discovery, friends, adventure, mistakes, career and university choices. And let’s be honest, there are not many 17 year olds out there that aren’t interested in falling in love.

But how many are truly interested in falling in love with THE ONE at 17?

I’m not sure I was. In fact, I probably wasn’t. I was planning to take the world by storm – solo. So when I met Matt, well, actually … it was pretty darn amazing. But it was a little frightening too.

When we first got together, it was sweet and young and … perfect. I was head over heels. But things became complicated quickly. He was an up and coming athletic star and I was working in hospitality. So basically he worked hard in the day, and I worked hard at night. His lifestyle demanded routine and healthy living, mine … not so much. But we were determined to make it work.

Falling in love so deeply at a young age made it difficult to be as reckless as our friends. We watched them coast in and out of short, fun, but meaningless relationships and it just seemed so different to what we had.

Writing the Embrace series has been an opportunity for me to pour some of the incredibly intense emotions of young love into Violet’s story. It has been important for me as a writer, and a person, to recognize that it’s completely realistic for someone at her young age to experience the full effect and heartbreak of love. Violet is one hundred percent invested with her heart. She makes bad choices, but we have to. She regrets many of her decisions, because we all do. And she fights for what she loves, because she is compelled to. Violet’s story is unique to her, I don’t pull on parallel scenarios from my own life, but I do pull on the emotion of intense love. Love that I think adults sometimes forget that 17 and 18 years-olds are very capable of feeling.

I often find one question helps a lot of adults, who maybe disagree with this view, to be more open minded: Do you remember you first true love? Do you ever wonder what your life would’ve been like if you had stayed together? For some, the answer is a resounding NOT INTERESTED, but for others … the pause says it all.

Matt and I celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary in March - I believe jewelry is in order ;)

Be sure to add Embrace to your goodreads piles and buy it on amazon!

Visit Jessica's the website: http://www.jessicashirvington.com/

Be sure to check out my review for Embrace on March 10th!

Guest Post and Giveaway: Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt

Today I have the awesome Liz Reinhardt to do an amazing guest post for her book Double Clutch!